Nobody, Not Even The Giants

Is a book by the business guru, Jim Collins, on how great companies fall apart really necessary or timely, when we face a recession. Not to discount anything other that the timing of the book, wouldn’t it be obvious that even great companies have the real possibility of being exposed to failure.

Of course Mr. Collins didn’t build his study around a recession, nor was the timing to develop a related topic simply around a world wide economic crisis. The book isn’t about banks and financial markets. It isn’t about the real estate or mortgage industries, although none of these industries are immune from failure, as we have all observed during the last two years.

The research for How The Mighty Fall is in part to disclose and discover how once great and even unparalleled companies can succumb to arrogance, misguided drive, fearful pursuits and suffocating paralysis. Despite the possibility to stumble over their own feet, the great companies kneel in humility in the hope to regain significance. Many don’t, but some do.

Mr. Collin’s objective is not only to overcome the potential digression, but first to act as a warning to all others of how to know you are entering or passing through stages of decline. The hope would be to recognize this but also to prevent it. If a company where to find themselves within a stage of decline, they could then also learn from Mr. Collin’s book to pick up from where they are and follow the success a few who have managed to change their poor evolution and resort back to the initial drive that allowed them to recall who they were before. Acting according the the entrepreneur nature of somebody who has everything to lose, but is willing to put in all of the time, effort and risk to achieve. The attention to detail of the entrepreneur is what guides the giant to recreating their historical drive and nature.

Over 256 pages, Jim Collins will disclose his findings. The read is relatively quick and to the point with sufficient examples to allow the reader to create similar circumstances. Discovering the five stages of decline may help identify what stage you could be in. These observation are not groundbreaking, however, as with many fantastic observations, it is in the recognition and identification that we epiphanize real truth

Excellent read and for any business mind, work the time. I prefer the book to the Jim Collin’s read, as he is slightly too dramatic for my tastes. Looking past the characterization of Mr. Collins, the content is the meat needed and wanted. At least pick it put at the library.